The Revelator

One of the few benefits of aging is the breathtakingly fresh perspectives provided by the passage of time. It can take decades to fully comprehend that nothing is permanent.

The evolution of my relationship with Corky serves as an example. As a clueless teenager I was awed by his gruff demeanor when I bought albums from him at Caper's Corner record store. He was in his twenties, but from a fifteen-year-old's vantage point, he resembled Methuselah. He went on to live my dream when he opened an eponymous retail shop. The dynamics changed again when I worked as a sales rep and Corky was one of my clients.

Now our relationship is free of financial considerations and the difference in our ages is negligible. One of his hobbies is photography. One of mine is promoting and commenting on Kansas City's jazz scene. Accordingly, I suggested he check out a group of old-timers Friday evening. The results are amazing.

That fifteen-year-old punk never could have imagined it.